Cebu City dad faces criminal, admin raps

Local

CEBU City Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa faces a criminal complaint before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office accusing him of extorting and defrauding a construction firm of P26.8 million over a memorial park project.

The complainants separately filed an administrative complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, accusing Abellanosa of serious dishonesty, commission of a crime involving moral turpitude, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Jose Marcelo R. Bumanglag and Maria Melanie F. Bumanglag, representatives of BUMI Construction Development & Supply, filed both complaints.

The criminal complaint involves Cocolife’s Palmhavens Memorial Park-Bacolod Phase 2 project.

BUMI alleged that Abellanosa claimed influence over Cocolife’s management and could help secure the project.

BUMI won the project on Sept. 30, 2021. The complainants alleged that Abellanosa then demanded payments and warned that the project could be disrupted or terminated if the payments stopped.

The complaint cited six payments from October 2021 to April 2022 totaling P26.8 million, including an alleged P8.3 million cash payment at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City on Oct. 19, 2021.

The complainants also cited an Oct. 20, 2021 Viber message in which Abellanosa allegedly asked for another P1 million for his wedding and said he had worked to ensure that the project would go to BUMI.

They alleged that the post-award payments resulted from threats and based the estafa allegation on Abellanosa’s alleged representations that he could influence the project award and facilitate BUMI’s progress billings.

The Makati City Prosecutor’s Office issued a July 7, 2026 subpoena directing Abellanosa to submit his counter-affidavit and supporting documents within five days and appear on July 20 and July 27 for clarificatory proceedings.

The Ombudsman complaint partly concerns Abellanosa’s June 25, 2024 counter-affidavit in the earlier estafa proceedings.

BUMI alleged that he denied claiming influence over Cocolife or guaranteeing the project, but said his Viber messages and other documents contradicted him.

The complainants also alleged that Abellanosa denied receiving the money despite bank records, signed agreements and communications documenting the P26.8 million in payments.

Attempts were made to reach the councilor for a comment but he had not responded as of this writing.

The documents identify Abellanosa’s legal name as Jose Lorenzo Retuya.(MyTVCebu)